[NikkiDay]

#1058806

Today I hit my 2-week mark post-RAI. The endocrinologist doesn’t want to see me for 2 months (I did ask about blood-work BEFORE the appt. as I’ve noticed many people complaining about that on here – and she had planned on doing that.) My GP and Radiologist both seemed to feel like the 2 month appointment was fairly standard. The radiologist told me that the RAI typically has it’s peak affect at 3-6 weeks.

The reason I’m blabbing on about all of this is that I feel like crap! I’m tired and discombobulated. I feel like I have to think to do normal things like lift my feet when I walk. I’m having a very difficult time focusing. I just don’t feel well at all.

I don’t know if I should contact the endocrinologist or my GP. I don’t want to be a pest, but I am so sick of feeling bad all of the time and I really just don’t want to let anything go. I also want to get things rolling with regulating my replacement hormones so that we can start trying to have a baby as soon as the radiologist says it’s safe.

Sigh – any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Nikki

[Kimberly]

#1170110

Hello – If you are feeling miserable, don’t be afraid to be the “sqeaky wheel” and demand a new set of labs.

There was a recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine that noted it generally takes 6-18 weeks for the RAI to do it’s work…but YOU know your body and YOU know when something is off. Don’t let anyone brush you off if normal, everyday tasks are becoming a major challenge.

[Bobbi]

#1170111

Hi, NikkiDay:

Of course you don’t feel well! You have been, and are, ill. About one week — give or take — after RAI we become more hyperthyroid than we were before as all the thyroid cells that have been damaged by the RAI release their stored supplies of thyroid hormone into the body all at once. It is a bit of a siege for your cells. Being hyperthyroid does cause us to feel fatigue, so fatigue isn’t necessarily a sign that you are now hypo, especially this soon after the RAI. The way I could tell the difference — at least in my case — was that when I was a bit hypothyroid, I could alleviate the fatigue with light exercise. ANY excercise while hyperthyroid, just made the fatigue worse. But, since you are two weeks out, perhaps your thyroid levels are lowering, and your body — used to being revved — is recognizing the comparison.

Second: do not expect to feel instantly “normal” when you finally reach normal levels of thyroid hormone. It takes months AT normal levels of thyroid hormone for your body to heal. So, try to look for improvement over time; progress. It will help you to feel better during the healing process to be aware of improvements, rather than fixing on some remembered normal that may take a long time to regain.

I do hope you are feeling better soon.

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